Fence-building apparatus



(No Model.)

P. P. CHAMBERLIN.

FENCE BUILDING APPARATUS.

Patented Jan.'1'7,1888.

. A, Fig. 1.

Witnesses: Inventor A Attorney N. PETERS, Phc'io-Lmwgnpher, Washinginn.By C.

' U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

FRANK P. CHAMBERLIN, OF MIDDLETOWVN, OHIO.

FENCE-BUILDING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 376,512, dated January17, 1888.

' Application filed June 9, 1887. Serial No. 240,653. (No model.)

.To all whom it mat concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK P. CHAMBER- LIN, of Middletown, Butler county,Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFence-Building Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

A kind of fence now commonly employed consists of several horizontalpairs of wires stretched along the line of the fence and supportingpicketsinserted vertically between the wires of the pairs, the picketsbeing held firmly in place byftwisting together the two wires of eachpair at points between the pickets. These fences are sometimes wovencomplete in a loom and then erected in place, and they are sometimesconstructed on the ground by stretching the wires along the line offenceposts, inserting the pickets, and making the proper twists in thewires. There are two distinct modes employed in twisting the wires. Onemode consists in twisting the wires in ad Vance of the last picketinserted, then inserting a new picket, then twisting the wires again,and so on. The otherv mode consists in placing two or more pickets andtwisting the wires between the pickets after the pickets are in place.My apparatus is designed with reference to the last-named mode ofoperation, though it is applicable to thefirst-named mode, and also toother modes and uses in connection with" wire-straining andwire-twisting.

My invention has reference to devices for holding the strands of wireand producing the tension on the wire as the fencebuilding progresses,and also to the devices for twisting the wires.

My improvements will be readily understood from the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure l is afront elevation of a fence of the characterspecified under process of construction in the field, my improvedtension apparatus being illustrated in connection therewith; Fig. 2,aperspective view of the upper portion of one of the fence-posts B inconnection with a portion of my improved tension device, so much of thetension device being exhibited as pertains to one strand of wire; Fig.3, a rear View of portions of one of the tension devices,

exhibiting the wire-keeper; Fig. 4, a side elevation of the machineemployed in twisting the wires, and Fig. 5a horizontal longitudinalsection of the machine.

In the drawings, A indicates a portion of the completed fence,consisting of horizontal strands of wire with vertical pickets retainedtherein by intermediate twists of the wire in a common manner; B, one ofthe usual fenceposts, to which the fence is secured by properlyfastening the strands of wire against the face of the post, as bystaples, in the usual manner, this post in the illustration being inadvance of the completed portion of the fence and having the strands ofwire not yet permanently attached, the post serving as a tensionpost orstrain-point to which the strands of wire are stretched and by whichthey are tightly but yieldingly held; 0, a tension-bartemporarily'secured in advance of the tensionpost and supporting devicesby which the strands of wire are held in proper tension;

D, brackets by means of which the tensionbar is attached to thefence-post B; E, the tension device, permanently secured to thetension-bar, there being one tension device for each strand of wireemployed; F, a gage-toe forming a prolongation of the bracket D, thistoe being so located with reference to the tension-bar that when the toelies against the face of the'fence-post B the tension-bar will be in theline of the intended fence; G, ears projecting from each side of thebracket D at right angles to the toe F, and provided each with a bolthole parallel with the toe F, through which a lag-screw may be inserted,the ears G and toe F forming angular seats each side of the bracket,these seats being adapted alternatively to engage the post B; H, a platerigidly secured against the wedge of the tensionbar, this plate forminga portion of the tension apparatus pertaining to one strand of wire; J,a plate to the rear of the plate H and parallel thereto, and formedbycurving the plate H rearwardly and upwardly, both plates H and J beingwider than the tension-bar is thick; K, notches in the side edges of theplates H and J, these notches forming seats in which the two wires of astrand may lie, the wires passing along the face of the fence-post B,thence through the notches K, and then straddling the tension-bar G; L,a lever pivoted on an axis reaching across from plate H to plate J, thispivot-axis lying in the hori zontal plane ofand centrally between thepairs of notches K; M, vertical notches in the lever L, these notchesbeing in the line of the notches K, so that the wires passing throughthe notches X will also pass through the notches M; N, a ratchetedsegment pivoted to the free end of the lever-L; O, a pin in the edge ofthe tensionbar, adapted to be engaged by any chosen one of theratchet-teeth of the segment, and thus serve in retaining the free endof the lever L in any angular position of elevation in which it may havebeen placed; P, a wirekeeper pivoted in the tension-bar in advance ofthe plate H, this keeper consisting of a horizontal bar pivoted in thetension-barand provided with arms at each end projecting at right anglesto the pivot portion, the keeper being capable of being turned in thetension-bar, so that the arms may project downward and prevent the wiresfrom becoming displaced sidewise from the slot in the plate H, and alsocapa ble of being turned up out of the way, so as to permit the wires tobe inserted into or removed from these slots; Q, the lag'screw employedin bolting the bracket D to the fencepost B; R, a geared machine bymeans of which the twists are given to the wires between the pickets inconstructing the fence; S, a pairof bars or plates riveted togetherparallel to each other fiatwise, with a space between them to receivegear-wheels; T, a handle secured at one end of the pair of plates; U, aspur-gear disposed between the plates near the handle end thereof andhavingahub each sidejournaled in proper hearings in the plates; V, ahanderank detachably connected with the gear U, thcshank of this crankbeing square and fitted for engagement with the central square openingof the gear; \V, an intermediate gear disposed between the plates S andfitted to revolve freely on the pivot and engaging and adapted to bedriven by the gear U; X, a wrench-gear journaled in the plates in asimilar manner to the gear U and engaged and adapted to be driven by thegear \V; Y, hubs projecting from each side of the gearX and journaled insuitable hearings in the plates S; Z, prolongations of the plates Sbeyond the periphery of the gear X, these prolongations being slotted orgapped,so as to form openings from the extremities of the platesrearwardly to the bearings which carry the hubs Y; a, a radial slot inthe gear X from the periphery thereof inwardly to and somewhat beyondthe center, this slot extending transversely through the gear and havinga width adapted to receive the wire of which the strands of the fenceare formed; 1), the central web of the gear X, this web being much lessin thickness than the total length of the hubs Y or than the totaloutside thickness of the plates S where these hubs are journaled; c, astop-pin fitted to slide through a hole in one of the plates S a shortdistance from the center of the intermediate gear; (I, a spring securedto the plate S, into which the stop pin slides, and resting with itsfree end upon the outer end of the stop-pin and serving to press thestoppin inward toward the intermediate gear; and e, a countersink in theface of the intermediate gear at a distance from the center of the gearcorresponding with the position of the stop-pin, so that as the gearrevolves the countersink will come opposite the stop-pin, the angularposition of the countersink in the gear \V being such as to be broughtinto coincidence with the stop-pin when the slot to of the gear X e0-incides with the slot in the prolongation Z of the plate.

The crank V being turned,it is obvious that rotary motion will betransmitted through the gear W to the gear X and that two wires in theslot a will become twisted together.

In using the implement the handle is grasped by the lel't hand and theslotted prolongation Z is advanced horizontally over the two wiresof thestrand between two picketsthatis, in case the fence is bei ngconstrnctcdin that mode. The instrnmcntbcing pushed endwise, the two wires of thestrands take position near together at the root of the slot a, this slothaving been held in registry with the slotted prolongations Z by thestop-pin engaging the countersink in the gear V. \Vhen the instrument isthus properly engaged with the pair of wires, the crank is turned witharight-hand motion-that is to say, if the crank hangs downward theoperator pulls it toward him. This right-hand motion of the crank andgear U serves in giving a similar right motion to the slotted gear X.The consequence is that the first quarterrevolution of the gear X bringsthe slot a vertically with its opening downward. \Vere the crank turnedin the other direction, or were it turned in thedirection indicated, andan even number of gears employed in the system, the first quarter-turnoi the gear X would result in the slot a being vertical, with itsopening upward, in which case the pointof the implementwonld dropdownward and disarrange the wires in the slot. The operator continues toturn the crank until the desired number of twists have been given to thewire-generally two twistsand each time the gear \V makes one revolutionthe fact will be indicated by a snapping ofthe stop-pin into thecountersink; but the walls of the countersink are not so abrupt as toprevent the continued turning of the mechanism. When the desired numberoftwists have been given, themotion is stopped when the stoppin is inthe countersink, thus leaving the slot a again in registry with theslotted prolongation Z. The result ofthe turn-. ing of the gear'X hasbeen to form twists in the wires upon each side of the gear. Only thatportion of the pairs of wires engaged by the slot not becoming subjectedto the twisting action, the inner terminals of the twists will thereforelie elosel y up against the central web of the gear X, and this webbeing thin permits the inner ends of the twists of wires to lie veryclose together, thus permitting quite a number of twists to be gotteninto the wire between pickets placed very close together. When thetwisting is complete, the implement is withdrawn horizontally from thewire, the untwisted central portion of the wires passing out ofthe slotin the gear, while the inner terminations of the twisted central portionof the wires pass out through the slots in the prolongations Z of theside plates. The crank V being removable from the hub of the gear Upermits of the handle being removed, so that theimplement may be storedaway insmaller straddling the tension-bar.

compass, and also permits of the crank being so placed in the gear U asto come in the proper position forgiving the final twists to the strandsboth in high and low position upon the fence-that is to say, the higheststrand of the fence, may be given its completing twists by a pullingmotion'of the crank toward the operator horizontally, while thecompleting twists with the lowest strands of the fence may be given byan upward pull ofthe crank, these conditions being most favorable forthe accomplishment of the final and harder part of the work in thedifferent positions necessarily assumed by the operator in twisting thehigh and low strands, respectively.

In setting up the tension apparatus the tension-bar is secured to afence-post at a reasonable distance from the starting-point of thefence. The wires are attached in the usual manner to a post at thestarting-point and carried along the line of the fence against the facesof the intermediate posts and against the face of the terminal post B,and on through slots in the tension device, and then onward,

Beyond the tension-bar the wires may lie upon the ground or go to theirspools or coils, or otherwise, according to circumstances. After thewires are inserted sidewise in the notches of the tension device, thekeepers P are turned down,

thus preventing the displacement of the wires sidewise from the notches.When the wires are to be removed from the notches, or when wire splicesare to pass the notches, the keepers are turned up out of the way. Thewires are pulled as taut as practicable from the front of thetension-bar, and then the free ends of the levers f are elevated, so asto deflect the two wires of each pair upwardly and downwardly,respectively, the wires resting in the notches K and being deflected bythe bottoms of the notches M in the levers. A bend is thus given to thewires at each tension device and frictional resistance offered to thepassage of the wires through the tension device as the construction ofthe fence progresses. The degree of resistance offered by the tensionde-- vice is adjusted by adjusting the position of the levers, anychosen one of the ratchet-teeth of the segments being engaged with itsretaining-pin 0. To arrange for the tension of the wire strands bydeflecting the wires between supports is well known and has proved quitesatisfactory, and my improved device offers many ad vantages for thepurpose.-

The tension-bar O has two of the brackets D, and the tension-bar issecured to the fencepost B by a lagscrew, Q, through each bracket intothe post, and the toes F serve in gaging the position of thetension-bar, so as to bring the notches of the tension device in properline with the wire strand, .and they also serve to prevent the twistingof the tension-bar around the post under the strain of the wires, thetoes being efflcientfor this purpose whether the postB be round orsquare. By having two 01' the ears G, the toe F being located centrallywith reference to them, the tension-bar may be readily secured to a postso as to arrange for the wires passing upon either face of the post. InFig. 2 the wires are indicated by dotted lines and are assumed asrunning in front of the post B. If the wires are to run against the rearface of the post, the lag-screw will be inserted through the hole in theear G. (Shown as idle in Fig. 2.)

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a supporting post orbar, of tension devices E, each having plates H and J, provided withoutwardly-open side notches for the reception of wires, lever L,-

pivoted thereto and provided with notches M to engage the wire, aratcheted segment, N, and pin 0, arranged for adjusting the angularposition of the lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a supporting post or bar, of tension devices E,each provided with plates having outwardly-open notches K, lever L,pivoted thereto, a ratcheted segment and ,pin for regulating theangularposition of the lever, and a wire-keeper, P, pivoted near one ofsaid plates and arranged to turn down, so as to prevent thedisengagement of wires from said slots, and to turn up, so as to permitsuch disengagement, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, substantially as, set forth, of tension-bar O,tension devices E, attached thereto, and brackets D, secured to thetension-bar and provided with a gage-toe and with ears G, havingbolt-holes provided for the attachment of the tension-bar to a post. l

t. Plates S, secured together so as to leave a space between them andprovided with a handle and slotted prolongations Z, whose slots are of awidth to permit the passage of two wires twisted together, and bearingsfor gears, a gear, X, having a slot of a width adapted to twist twowires together, as described, and journaled in the forward end of saidplates, and having a central web, b, thinner than the total thickness ofsaid plates where it supports said gear, and a gear probeing providedwith slot a, and one of said i motion to the gears, substantially as andfor gears being provided with countersink e, stopthe purpose set forth.

pin 0 adapted to elwa c said countersink T 4 T spring (2, arranged toiii-( ass the stop-pin into FRA1\K CHAMBDRLIL' said countersink and toautomatically yield Witnesses:

to the forcible rotation of the gear having the l J. XV. SEE,

countersink, and crank V, for giving rotary l W. A. SEWARD.

